• New Paltz Central School District's Student Gender Identity Vision Statement

    The New Paltz Central School District recognizes that every student deserves to learn in a safe and supportive setting, free from discrimination. The New York State Education Department reaffirmed its commitment to providing all public school students, including transgender and gender expansive (TGE) students, with an environment free from discrimination and harassment, fostering civility and ensuring that every student has equal access to educational programs and activities.

    The New Paltz Central School District has adopted a Student Gender Identity policy that  is committed to ensuring that all students, including transgender, nonbinary and intersex students, feel safe, included and supported in school and have equal access to all school programs, facilities and activities.  This commitment includes ensuring that the environment is free from discrimination and harassment, fostering civility, and addressing the needs of each student on a case-by-case basis.  The district is committed to adopting and reviewing policies that respect all students' gender identities and safeguard student’s privacy. 

    Additionally, a Gender Support Plan Document will be implemented in each of our schools to assist in the facilitation of information regarding name/gender changes, what information a student/family would like the school to recognize.  

     

  • New Paltz Central School District follows the guidance from New York State's Education Department (NYSED) and New York State's Education and Human Rights' Law in developing our Gender Support Plan and creating a safe and supportive environment for all of our students, including our transgender and gender expansive students.  

    In 2023, NYSED published Creating a Safe, Supportive, and Affirming School Environment for Transgender and Gender Expansive Students to assist public schools in creating safe and supportive environments and adhere to NYS anti-discrimination laws. New York State Human Rights Law, amended by the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) prohibits discrimination by educational institutions against students and applicants based on their actual or perceived sex and gender identity or expression. The Gender Recognition Act (GRA) is a comprehensive bill that updates and clarifies many issues related to name changes and correcting sex designations/gender markers on identity documents for transgender and nonbinary New Yorkers. New York State Education Law 3201-a  prohibits discrimination based on sex which includes discrimination based on gender identity and expression. The Dignity for All Students Act provides that "no student shall be subjected to harassment or bullying by employees or students on school property or at a school function. The Dignity Act defines gender as "a person's actual or perceived sex and includes a person's gender identity or expression. 

  • What is a Gender Support Plan?

    Only the student knows whether it is safe to share their identity with caregivers/parents and schools should be mindful that some LGBTQ+ students do not want or cannot have their parents/guardians know about their transgender status. The paramount consideration in those situations is protecting the health and safety of the student, assuring that the student's gender identity is affirmed and that their privacy and confidentiality are safely maintained. These situations should be addressed on a case-by-case basis, accounting for the student's age and maturity. Prematurely disclosing a student's gender identity can have severe consequences for the student. 

    To that end, our clinical staff at our buildings will meet with gender expansive or transgender students who would like to transition at school. During this conversation, the staff member will work with the student to complete the NPCSD Gender Support Plan. A Gender Support Plan is a document that can help schools systematically address various aspects of a transgender or gender expansive student's experiences at school. It can also be used to help schools create a shared understanding among students, school staff, and parents/caregivers about the ways in which the student's authentic gender will be recognized and supported at school. Students need to be included in the creation of these plans, even in cases where their parents/guardians/family are supportive.